Los Angeles model, actress and host, Monique Pridgeon’s is starting to sound like the quintessential Hollywood story. Having worked in behind the scenes in television for the past five years, the stunning but humble aspiring star, got discovered, and now she’s getting her share of on-camera exposure and with that better job offers and she’s more in demand than ever. Pridgeon quipped at the 2011 AdColor Awards Conference that her career has come full circle, and now instead of scheduling commercials — she’s in commercials. Rolling out spoke with the beaming beauty about her title, her career and the future

What are your responsibilities as Miss AdColor?
I represent the face of what the advertising agencies are trying to promote in commercials and print ads. So initially that’s what it’s about, but also my duties here at the 2011 Adcolor Awards Industry Conference are to present the awards to the honorees.

How did you get your modeling career going?
I started doing runway shows in high school and in college. When I started my journey into this profession, I didn’t realize how far I could take it. I was thinking that I am not real tall, so you’re not going to see me on the runway during fashion Week, but you will see me in a beauty ad or a hair ad, or doing commercials for banks. It’s just really grown into a beautiful career. So I quit my nine-to-five and I don’t regret it at all.
What direction is your career taking now?
I am transitioning into hosting, so I want to do more entertainment and host red carpets. I am from D.C. and a couple of weeks ago and I hosted the red carpet — which was actually a yellow carpet to represent their colors — for Alpha Phi Alpha’s dedication ceremony at Constitution Hall for the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial. I interviewed a lot of celebrities. It was exciting and I felt so in my element. I feel like it’s a natural progression for my career.

What’s your advice to aspiring models?
Decide what type of modeling you can do. You can be the prettiest thing in the world, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to be a runway model. … Find out where you fit in the industry and where you can flourish. Take classes, get familiar with the industry and the people in it, and networking is really key. And then work the heck out of that.
Are there jobs models should avoid?
A lot of people don’t want to be considered commercial, but commercial is where the money is. They automatically think high fashion and you have to be 15 years old. I started modeling full-time in my 30s and I love the fact that I’m commercial. Don’t put limitations on your career and what you can do, because of your age. There are all types of products out there you can represent … and you don’t have to be a beauty queen to do it.